Pivotal mounting for masts, derricks and the like



P 1950 A. s. WINDER ETAL 2,951,596

PIVOTAL MOUNTING FOR MASTS. DERRICKS AND THE LIKE Filed July 7, 1958 s Sheets-$heet 1 waft/525M015 Sept. 6, 1960 A. s. WINDER ETAL 2,951,595

PIVOTAL MOUNTING FOR MASTS, DERRICKS AND THE LIKE Filed July '7, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A Horney p 1960 A. s. WINDER ETAL 2,951,596

PIVOTAL MOUNTING FOR MASTS, DERRICKS AND THE LIKE Filed July 7, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 6, 1960 s, ND ETAL 2,951,596

PIVOTAL MOUNTING FOR MASTS, DERRICKS AND THE LIKE Filed July 7, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 V Attorney Sept. 6, 1960 A. s. WINDER ETAL 2,951,595

PIVOTAL MOUNTING FOR MASTS, DERRICKS AND THE LIKE Filed July 7, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet s I n ventors;

%'ney 6, being drawn on a still larger scale,

atcnt i Free PIVOTAL MOUNTING FOR MASTS, DERRICKS AND THE LIKE Arthur Smallwood Winder, Boxmoor, and Spencer Fernley Geary, Wattord, England, assignors to Wharton Engineers (Elstree) Limited, Elstree, England Filed July 7, 1958, Ser. No. 746,738

Claims priority, application Great Britain July 12, 1957 5 Claims. (Cl. 21235) This invention relates to pivotal mountings for masts, derrick booms and the like, and has for its object to provide improved means for positioning and/r constraining the movements of a mast, derrick boom or the like which is pivotally supported at its lower end, and to this end according to this invention a mast, derrick boom or the like is mounted at its lower end on a member so as to be capable of pivotal movements with respect thereto in one plane, said member being supported so that it and therefore the mast, derrick boom or the like is capable of pivotal movements in a plane at right angles to said first plane, and three adjustably extensible elements are provided for positioning and/or constraining the movements of the mast, derrick boom or the like, which elements are connected at one end at a common level or point of the mast, derrick boom or the like intermediate the ends thereof and connected at their other ends to fixed elements disposed around and spaced from the lower end of the mast, derrick boom or the like. For convenience reference will hereinafter be made in the main to a mast or masts only.

This invntion finds many applications and by way of example one such application will hereinafter be described in some detail, this being an apparatus used for stringing overhead conductor wires and the supporting wires or catenaries therefor for electric railways. Here again, for convenience reference Will be made simply to overhead wires.

When stringing overhead wires for electric railways it has heretofore been customary to lay a wire along the ground between two supporting poles and then to lift and temporarily support same between "the poles. By means of a spring balance or the like the wire is then adjusted until the tension therein is as required, and the wire is finally secured by suitable clips or the like. This process is somewhat laborious and can result in damage to the wire. The present invention overcomes such disadvantages. In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the said apparatus for stringing overhead Wires,

Figure 2 is anend elevation thereof, and Figure 3 is a plan view thereof; Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, drawn on an enlarged scale, showing more clearly a detail of construction of the apparatus as shown in Figure 2,

. Figure 5 illustrates diagrammatically the hydraulic system of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 4,

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the valves and associated parts of the system shown in Figure 5, being drawn on an enlarged scale,

Figure 7 is an underneath plan view of the valves and associated parts as shown in Figure 6,

, Figure 8 is a section on the line VIIL-VIII of Figure Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view, drawn on an enlarged scale, showing a detail of construction, and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary, part sectional view, drawn on an enlarged scale, showing the mounting of the operating lever of the apparatus.

The apparatus shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings comprises a wheeled carriage or wagon 1 which in use runs on a previously laid railway track (not shown), moving from left to right as viewed in Figure 1.

The wire 2 which is to be strung overhead is stored on a drum mounted on a separate wagon which is moved along in front of the wagon 1, means preferably being provided for restraining the wire as it is drawn off the drum so that the wire will be payed out at the desired tension ready for connection to the supporting poles therefor. The present invention is not concerned with this, however, and the storage drum, the wagon carrying it and the means associated therewith are not actually shown in the drawings. Neither will they be described in any detail.

Mounted on the wagon 1 is a mast 3 in the upper end of which is rotatably mounted a large pulley 4, and the wire 2, after leaving the storage drum and the restraining means associated therewith, passes over this pulley. By movement of the mast 3 the part 2 of the wire is kept at the desired height and lateral position for the overhead stringing thereof. How this is achieved will be clear from the following detailed description.

The mast 3 is mounted at its lower end as follows. A mounting block 6 (see Figures 3 and 4), of generally cross-shape, has two co-axial journal members 7 which are rotatably supported in horizontal bearings 8 disposed above the longitudinal centre line of the wagon 1 in a platework base structure 9. The mounting block 6 has two further co-axial journal members 10 (see Figure 4) disposed at right angles to the journal members 7 and these are rotatably engaged in bearings 11 in opposed side members or plates 3 at the lower end of the mast 3. Thus the mast 3 can pivot by itself about the journal members 19 longitudinally of the wagon 1, and the mounting block 6 together with the mast 3 can pivot with respect to the base structure in the bearings 8, that is at right angles to the longitudinal centre line of the wagon.

The axle of the pulley 4 is parallel to the axis of the bearings 11, and thus also to the axis of the journal members 10, and the rim of the pulley lies in a plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the bearings S. Consequently the mast 3 and pulley 4 can be raised and lowered (by means to be described hereinafter) in a plane which passes through the axis of bearings 8 and moved laterally by rotation about such axis. If the wire 2 is payed out from a point which lies on a continuation of the axis of the bearings 8, the wire on both sides of the pulley 4 will always lie in the same plane as the groove of the pulley and so will have no tendency to ride up the rims thereof and/or to be fretted thereby. The part 2* of the wire will always be approximately parallel to the axis of the bearings 8.

In use, the mast 3 is inclined rearwardly, as shown, and is supported by a hydraulic piston and cylinder unit 15, having telescopic piston members 15 and 15 The hydraulic piston and cylinder unit shown is actually single acting in that the mast 3 is only raised by the operation or extension thereof, the weight of the mast combined with the force of the tensioned wire passing over the pulley 4 serving-to cause lowering of the mast.

The lower end of the piston and cylinder unit 15 is secured through the intermediary of a ball and socket joint 16 to a member 17 secured centrally of the wagon 1 in line with the axis of the bearings 8. The upper end of the piston member ends in an eye through which passes a'pin securing it to a web 18 in the mast centrally thereof, said pin and eye being indicated jointly by the 1 reference numeral 19.

The mast 3 is positioned and adjusted laterally by means of two opposed hydraulic piston and cylinder units 20 and 21, having piston members 20 and 21 respec- 'tively. Here again these piston and cylinder units are single acting, the mast being turned to one side by admit- ;ting hydraulic fluid under pressure to the unit on the opposite side and allowing it to escape from the other unit. How this is achieved will be described in detail later. At the moment it will merely be observed that due to the mounting of the mast 3, as described above, any lateral movement thereof must cause a shortening of one or the other of the hydraulic piston and cylinder units 20 and 21, these units being sufficient to hold the mast in any laterally adjust position if egress of fluid from them both is prevented.

The lower ends of the hydraulic piston and cylinder units 20 and 21 are secured through the intermediary of ball and socket joints 22 mounted on inclined side plates 9 of the platework base structure 9 on opposite sides of the mounting block 6 in the same vertical plane as the axis about which the mast pivots with respect thereto and in the same horizontal plane as the axis about which the mounting block pivots.

The piston members 20 and 21 have double and single eyed upper end elements 23 and 24 respectively (see detail in Figure 9) held together by a pivot pin 25.

.This pin 25 is mounted in a fork 26 having a shank 27 which is rotatable in a bearing 28 in the web 18 of the mast. The axis of the bearing 28 continued passes through the centre of the mounting block 6 and so through the mid-point of a line joining the ball and socket joints 22.

If the piston and cylinder units 20 and 21 remain unaltered in length, and the mast is consequently restrained laterally by them in a desired position, any extension or contaction of the piston and cylinder unit 15 will cause .the mast 3 with the pulley 4 to rotate about the transverse horizontal axis extending betwen the ball and socket joints 22. The height of the wire 2 leaving the pulley 4 will be changed, but its lateral position, with respect to the wagon 1, remains unaltered. The mast 3 turns about the journals 10 of the mounting block 6 which at the same time are tilted by rotation of said block in the bearings 8.

The piston and cylinder unit 15 is supplied with hydraulic fluid from a pump 30, and the piston and cylinder I der units 15, 20 and 21 have been shown in plan while -the operating lever 34 and the valves controlled thereby have been shown in side elevation. For convenience the piping system has been omitted from Figures 1, 2 and 3 but it will be clearly apparent from Figure 5.

Flow of fluid to the cylinder and piston unit 15 is controlled by a piston valve 40 having its axis disposed longitudinally of the wagon. The piston of this valve has three positions and it has connected to it three pipes. 1

When the piston is in a central position, the pump 30 takes fluid from the tank 33 through a pipe 41 and pumps it through pipes 42 and 42 to the valve 40 from which it is returned by pipes 43 and 44 to the tank 33. At the same time the valve 40 prevents any escape of fluid from the cylinder and piston unit 15 through the pipe 45. When the piston of the valve 48 is in its forward position (that is moved to the left as viewed in Figure 5) fluid is pumped by the pump 30 through the pipes 42 and 42 and also the pipe 45 to the cylinder of the unit 15, the pistons 15 15 of the latter thereby being extended and the mast 3 raised. At the same time the valve 40 prevents any flow of fluid through the pipes 43 and 44 to the tank 33. When the piston of the valve 40 is moved into its rearward position (that is moved to the right), the pipe 45 from the cylinder and piston unit 15 is put into communication with the return pipe 43 and the weight of the mast causes fluid to be expelled from the cylinder of said unit and returned to the tank 33.

-At the same time the pipe 42 is put into communication with the pipe 43 and fluid from the pump 30 is also returned to the tank 33.

During the movement of the piston valve 40 from the forward to the central position thereof the pipe 42 is momentarily closed. A relief valve 46 is therefore interposed between the pipes 42 and 42*, through which fluid can return by a pipe 47 to the tank 33, damage to the pump 30 thus being avoided.

Flow of fluid to the cylinder and piston units 20 and 21 is controlled by a piston valve 48 having its aixs disposed transversely of the wagon and at right angles to the valve 40. The piston of this valve also has three positions and has four pipes connected to it. When the piston is in its central position, the pump 31 takes fluid from the tank 33 through a pipe 49 and pumps it through pipes 52 and 52 to the valve 48 from which it is returned by pipes 53 and 44 t0 the tank 33. At the same time the valve 48 prevents any escape of fluid from pipes 54 and 55 leading to the cylinder and piston units 20 and 21, the lateral position of the mast 3 thereby being fixed. When the piston of the valve 48 is moved towards the cylinder and piston unit 20, the cylinder thereof is put into communication with the tank 33 through the pipes 54, 53 and 44. At the same time the pump 31 is put into communication with the cylinder of the unit 21 through pipes 52, 52 and 55. This causes extension of the piston member 21 which moves the mast towards the .unit 20, the piston member 20 of which is moved inwards expelling fluid which returns to the tank 33.

When the piston of the valve 48 is moved towards the cylinder and piston unit 21, the above described movement of fluid is reversed and the mast moved towards the unit 21. A relief valve 56 is interposed between the pipes 52 and 52 for the same reason as explained in connection with the relief valve 46.

'The valves 40 and 48 are operated through the intermediary of a single control element 60, movement thereof longitudinally of the wagon operating valve 40 and movement thereof laterally or transversely of the wagon operating the valve 48.

As shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 there is secured to the piston of the valve 40, in an extension of the casing thereof, a member 61, and the control element 60 is universally mounted near its centre point in an eye 62 on the end of said member 61. The lower end of the control element 60 is spherical, as at 60 and engages in a cylindrical hole 63 in a member 64 secured to the piston of the valve 48, also in an extension of the casing thereof. It will thus be apparent that the extension member of each valve piston acts as a fulcrum for the other at right angles to it, and that movement of the upper end of the control member 60 longitudinally of the wagon operates the valve 40, while transverse or lateral movement thereof operates the valve 48.

As shown in Figure 8 the control element 60 has at its centre a spherical protuberance 60 and this actually lies in the eye 62 on the end of the member 61. A screw (not shown) in a threaded hole in the eye 62 loosely engages a depression 65 in the protuberance 60 and thus retains the control element 60 in its working posi tion. To prevent damage to the valves 40 and 48 and the control element 60 by careless use of the operating lever 34, the latter is arranged so that it cannot transmit a vertical force (see Figure The lever 34 is carried in a spherical universal mounting 66 mounted on the floor 35 of the cabin 35. The lower end of the lever 34 has a cylindrical recess 67 which engages the spherical upper end 60 of the control element 69. It will be apparent that movement of the lever 34 moves the upper end 60 of the control element in the opposite direction; consequently the mast 3 is moved in the same direction as the operating lever 34.

To steady and support the mast 3 when it is not being used and the wagon 1 is being moved from place to place a trestle 70 is mounted on the wagon, as shown for example in Figures 1 and 3.

We claim:

1. In combination, a mast-like member, a member in which the lower end of said mast-like member is mounted so as to be capable of pivotal movements with respect thereto in one plane, means mounting and supporting said member so that it and therefore the mast-like member is capable of pivotal movements in a plane at right angles to said first plane, three adjustably extensible hydraulic piston and cylinder units for positioning and constraining movement of the mast-like member, said units being connected at one end thereof to the mast-like member at a common level intermediate the length and spaced from the ends thereof, and fixed elements disposed around and spaced from the lower end of 'the mastlike member for the connection of the other ends of said units, the connection of one unit, the elevating unit, being disposed in line with the axis about which said member pivots, and the connection of the other two units, the lateral units, being disposed on opposite sides of said member in the same vertical plane as the axis about which the mast-like member pivots with respect thereto and in the same horizontal plane as the axis about which said member pivots, whereby with the lateral units set to any desired relative positions when the elevating unit is altered in length the elevation of the upper end of the mast-like member will be altered without altering its lateral position with respect to the lower end of the mast-like member.

2. Means for stringing overhead wires comprising a wheeled carriage, a mast-like member, a member in which the lower end of said mast-like member is mounted so as to be capable of pivotal movements with respect thereto in one plane, means mounting and supporting said member on said carriage so that it and therefore the mast-like member is capable of pivotal movements in a plane at right angles to said first plane, the axis about which said member pivots being disposed longitudinally of the carriage, and the axis about which the mastlike member pivots with respect to said member being disposed transversely of the carriage perpendicularly of said first axis; three adjustably extensible hydraulic piston and cylinder units for positioning and constraining movement of the mast-like member, said units being connected at one end thereof to the mast-like member at a common level intermediate the length and spaced from the ends thereof, and fixed elements disposed on the carriage around and spaced from the lower end of the mast-like member for the connection of the other ends of said units, the connection of the one unit, the elevating unit, being disposed in line with said first axis, and the connection of the other two units, the lateral units, being disposed on opposite sides of said member in the same vertical plane as said second axis and in the same horizontal plane as said first axis, whereby with the lateral units set to any desired relative positions when the elevating unit is altered in length the elevation of the upper 6 end of the mast-like member will be altered Without altering its lateral position with respect to the carriage.

3. Means 'for stringing overhead wires comprising a wheeled carriage, a mast-like member, a member in which said mast-like member is mounted at its lower end so as to be capable of pivotal movements with respect thereto in one plane, means mounting and supporting said member on said carriage so that it and therefore the mast like member is capable of pivotal movements in a plane at right angles to said first plane, the axis about which said member pivots being disposed longitudinally of the carriage, and the axis about which the mast-like member pivots with respect to said member being disposed transversely of the carriage perpendicularly of said first axis; a pulley about which wire to be strung overhead is passed mounted in the upper end of the mast-like member with its rim in a plane passing through said first axis; three adjustably extensible hydraulic piston and cylinder units for positioning and constraining movement of the mastlike member, said units being connected at one end thereof to the mast-like member at a common level intermediate the length and spaced from the ends thereof, and fixed elements disposed on the carriage around and spaced from the lower end of the mast-like member for the connection of the other ends of said units, the connection of the one unit, the elevating unit, being disposed in line with said first axis, and the connection of the other two units, the lateral units, being disposed on opposite sides of said member in the same vertical plane as said second axis and in the same horizontal plane as said first axis, whereby with the lateral units set to any desired relative positions when the elevating unit is altered in length the elevation of the upper end of the rnast-like member and the pulley will be altered without altering the lateral position thereof with respect to the carriage.

4. Means for stringing overhead wires comprising a wheeled carriage, a mast, a member in which said mast is mounted at its lower end so as to be capable of pivotal movements with respect thereto in one plane, means mounting and supporting said member on said carriage so that it and therefore the mast is capable of pivotal movements in a plane at right angles to said first plane, the axis about which said member pivots being disposed longitudinally of the carriage, and the axis about which the mast pivots with respect to said member being disposed transversely of the carriage perpendicularly of said first axis; a pulley about which wire to be strung is passed mounted in the upper end of the mast with its rim in a plane passing through said first axis; three adjustably extensible hydraulic piston and cylinder units for positioning and constraining movement of the mast, said units being connected at one end thereof to the mast at a common level spaced from the ends thereof, fixed elements disposed on the carriage around and spaced from the lower end of the mast for the connection of the other ends of said units, the connection of the one unit, the elevating unit, being disposed in line with said first axis, and the connection of the other two units, the lateral units, being disposed on opposite sides of said member in the same vertical plane as said second axis and in the same horizontal plane as said first axis, whereby with the lateral units set to any desired relative positions when the elevating unit is altered in length the elevation of the upper end of the mast and thus of the pulley will be altered without altering the lateral position with respect to the carriage, a hydraulic system including said units, valves in said system for controlling the admission of fluid to and the escape of fluid from said units and means for selectively operating said valves.

5. Means for straining overhead wires as claimed in claim 11 wherein said valves include pistons which are adapted to be operated, that is moved by a common control element, the valves being arranged so that their pistons move at right angles to each other, and said control,

2,951,696 7 element being connected to said pistons so that the con- 2,582,548 .nection between it and one piston acts as a fulcrum about 2,601,927 which the control element rocks to movethe other piston. 2,639,048 2,643,515 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 2,705,971 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2745,50

663,109 Tucker Dec. 4, 1900 2,275,195 Martin Mar. 3, 1942 a 526,889

8 Larson Jan. 15, 1952 Frenzel July 1, 1952 Glashaw May 19, 1953 Harsch June 30, 1953 Dorkins Apr. 12, 1955 McOallum May 15, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany June 11, 1931 

